In Between Good and Evil: Nothing is ever easy
by Yonda
Summary: 11-year-old Harry goes to Hogwarts only to discover he isn't as safe as he thought he was. Dumbledore tells Harry more. Ginny befriends Harry during their first year, following him on his path to his destiny.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Neither Bruuz nor I, Yonda own the Harry Potter verse. All of it belongs to J.K. Rowling. The plot and general storyline of this story however, is ours and ours alone along with any OC's we might introduce during the progression of the storyline.

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**A/N: **_This Fanfiction is a collaborated work between me and Bruuz. This story, in its entirety, is an effort that was shared between the two of us. Having read each other's stories and having known each other in real life for about six years now we decided that it would be a refreshing challenging to try and work together in a combined effort to create a story that is unique to the world of Harry Potter Fanfiction._

_With this F__ic being a collaborated effort we want to press this issue quite literally; every single plot-twist, every single thing that happens, every single letter written is a combined effort of both myself and Bruuz. Therefore the credit will go to both of us._

_Next, this will be a two-part story. The first part of the story, or as I like to call it, part one, will be posted on my account. The second part, or part two, will be posted on Bruuz his account._

_The reason we chose to write a Harry Potter fanfic is because t__he two of us were frustrated that most Harry Potter Fic's followed the same or a similar plotline. An example of this is that in most Fanfics, Harry get's more independent and shuns Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione etc. Then, he fights the war on his own and wins with the help of some jogging and weight-lifting. We think it's ridiculous. We want to present to you, the community of , a story that we believe to be unique and worthwhile to read to the end. _

_With that said, enjoy reading!_

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**In Between Good and Evil**

**Nothing is ever easy**

_**A Harry Potter Fanfic**_

_**By Bruuz &**__** Yonda**_

_**Prologue**_

Many stories start with a lonely boy waking up inside a broom cupboard beneath the stairs. Some stories start with a novice, teenage wizard being neglected by his friends during the school holidays. Other stories start with a young teenage boy gaining unexpected powers that allow him to rise above all others.

This story however…

This story follows the journey of young Harry Potter who struggles to choose between the side of good and evil. This story follows the journey of young Harry Potter who decides to do what is right, instead of what is easy.

This story follows the journey of young Harry Potter who decides to take up arms not for his friends, not for the Wizarding world, but for himself.

He will soon find out however, that nothing is ever easy.

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His gaze swept over the enormous crowd, gathered in front of a steaming, scarlet train. Harry was awed by the mere size of platform nine and three-quarters. Parents were standing everywhere, hugging and kissing their children goodbye as they stepped on the train. Behind the large windows of the train many more children sat and waved to the crowd of parents and family members.

Harry took a deep breath and started walking towards the train. He'd never thought that something like this would ever happen to him. It was all still so weird. Magic? It had seemed so unlikely. But it wasn't. Not anymore. When he'd slowly walked through the iron-wrought gates separating platform nine and ten on King's Cross Station, the doubts that had still lingered in his head had vanished. He'd felt so stupid, walking to the gates as he pushed his heavy trolley forward. He'd been a little afraid that it wouldn't work. That he'd be unable to get through and was forced to go home again, back to his cousin. But his fear proved to be unnecessary because he'd walked through the gate as if it were nothing but thin air.

Harry snickered at the thought of his cousin, Dudley with a pig-tail protruding from his pants. He'd been terrified when the big man who'd introduced himself as Hagrid had walked in and told him he was a wizard. But he had still laughed at Dudley when the giant of a man gave him a pig-tail. It had felt good to laugh at him without being punished.

Yes, magic was real. And it was great, or so he hoped. It wasn't as if he'd had the chance to try it out already.

Suddenly, a grey owl swooped over his head and Harry had to duck in order to avoid a collision with the bird. "I hope you behave yourself better than that owl, Hedwig," he muttered at the caged bird on top of his trolley. Hedwig hooted and Harry wondered if she could actually understand him.

When he reached the train, Harry glanced over his shoulder one more time and looked at the people, glad that his Uncle and Aunt had gone home already. If they ever saw a place as crowded, filthy, and noisy as this platform, they would run away, screaming as they went.

Harry wasn't sure if Hagrid had told him the truth about him being famous and everything. No one seemed to recognize him here at all. It could be that they were simply too busy to notice, but Harry hoped they would keep quiet about it. He'd once seen famous people on the telly giving screaming crowds of people autographs. That wasn't something he'd like to do. Ever.

He turned his back at the people on the platform and pulled his trunk in the train with a heavy groan. He set Hedwig's cage on top of it and began riding it through the train, searching for an empty compartment.

At the end of the long train he finally found one. He opened the door and set his trunk on the bench. Hedwig looked at him with her big, round eyes, pleading for freedom.

"Only if you promise not to fly away, you hear me?" Harry told the bird, before opening the little door. He understood the feeling of being caged, and wasn't too keen on keeping his owl locked up. But he had become quite attached to the white creature and didn't want her to leave him. She was the only friend he had.

Hedwig hooted happily and fluttered with her wings as she hopped through the compartment, content to simply watch Harry and stretch the stiff muscles in her wings.

Harry turned back to the task at hand and grabbed the impossibly heavy trunk in his arms. He hoisted it up, trying to get it in the overhead compartment. He pushed as hard as he could, but his trunk fell back on the bench. "Nothing is ever easy," he mumbled surly.

"Need a hand?" a soft voice asked him.

Harry saw a tiny girl standing in the doorway of his compartment. She had a kind face with long flaming red hair that framed her face. A few freckles were visible on top of her small nose and her brown eyes brightened as she smiled at him. She looked to be a first-year, just like him. Harry smiled back and nodded at her. _'Okay, maybe sometimes it is'_

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_**Author's Notes.**_

So as to put emphasis on the fact that this is a collaborated work of fanfiction, both myself and Bruuz decided that each of us would write a separate author's note at the end of each chapter.

**Yonda**: The beginning of our story is made! I hope everyone liked it, even though it was pretty short. Before I'll let Bruuz ramble on and on about whatever it is he has to say, I would like to point one thing out. As you might've noticed already, the rating of our story is 'M'. The reason we did this is because we have great plans for our story in the future which are sure to include some gore with the heavy battles, and possible also some newly-invented curse words and whatnot. We are not, however, going to put mature content in this story. At least not in part one. If we will put it in it will be much later, as Bruuz and I prefer to develop our romances very slowly. And we also don't think that it's appropriate to have a romance between two eleven-year-old people. It's just wrong! We might be a little crazy in our heads, but we're not some sick children-lovers or anything like that :P The relationship between Harry and Ginny will merely be friendly and later on it will edge more towards true bonding, and eventually a romance will develop. But that's still pretty far away.

Anyway, enough rambling from me. I'll let Bruuz finish the rest! Thanks again for taking the time to read our story, I hope everyone will continue reading it.

**Bruuz: **To start off with I'd like to thank all of you for reading our prologue to In Between Good and Evil: Nothing is ever easy. A lot of time and effort has already been put into the creation of a (in our eyes) unique plot and storyline and it is always rewarding to know that people are actually reading it. (Seeing as these Author's Notes are put at the end of the prologue I can only assume that those who are reading this have read the actual prologue as well!)

Our fic will feature a Harry/Ginny pairing/bonding. However, as both of them are only eleven when they meet you will have to wait quite a while for any romance to ensue between the two of them. Moreover, we do not simply intend for the two of them to become mere love interests. They will be friends, lovers, accomplices, and possibly even more than that. Our story will revolve around the two of them yet at the same time involve many of the other characters we all know and love from the world of Harry Potter that J.K. Rowling created for us.

Lastly I want to state clearly, that we do not intend for any character bashing to happen at all. Each and every character J.K. Rowling created was for a reason. Their actions were for a reason and every single person with only half a brain should be able to realize why someone has chosen to act in the way they do. Some of the characters may choose to undertake actions that our main characters disapprove of, that you yourself may disapprove of, but they will in no way, shape or form be made out as the bad guys simply because they did something that, at the time, seemed the appropriate course of action.

Once more, thank you for reading our prologue. Any reviews, advice or (constructive) criticism are always more than welcome.

~Bruuz & Yonda~


	2. My first friend

**Disclaimer: **Neither Bruuz nor I, Yonda, own the Harry Potter verse. All of it belongs to J.K. Rowling. The plot and general storyline of this story however, is ours and ours alone along with any OC's we might introduce during the progression of the storyline.

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_**Chapter 1: My First Friend**_

_**Story by Bruuz & Yonda**_

It hadn't taken more than a few minutes to hoist their luggage in the overhead compartment, but Harry was still sweating when they sat down. The girl in front of him scrutinized him in her strong glare, almost as if she was conducting some kind of test on him. Apparently he passed it, because after a short while her face lit up in a smile again and she pushed the big window open a little. She hung out of the window as she waved to a red-haired woman, who was probably her mother, and a boy, not much younger than her.

"Look, mum," she shouted over the noise of chattering parents and screaming children, who were still too young to be able to come to Hogwarts. "I already made a new friend!"

Harry looked at her incredulously. And there he was worried that it was going to be hard to make friends. Sure, the girl had boldly entered the compartment and he didn't even know her name yet, but he didn't mind really. It was good to already have a friend before entering the school. Harry hoped she was from a big magical family so that she could tell him lots and lots about magic before they arrived at Hogwarts. He knew almost next to nothing and that was sure to be noticed by his other classmates, whoever they might be.

"Ginny! Don't lean so far out of the window," her mother said sternly.

Ginny glanced over at Harry for a moment and rolled with her eyes before looking at her mother again. "Don't worry mum, I'm not going to fall out of the train or anything."

Her mother suddenly narrowed her eyes."Where are Fred and George? Did they leave you alone? I told them to take care of you on the train!"

"No, they didn't ditch me. I ditched them," Ginny said. "They're probably looking for me right now, but you don't have to worry about it. I've already got a friend so I don't need those two to look after me. I can take care of myself just fine. If they hung out with me on the train, I would never get the chance to talk anyone. First-years avoid them like the plague, which is probably a smart thing to do, but I'd hate it if they started avoiding me too."

A frown creased her face, but before she could object she was interrupted by her youngest son. "Who's your friend then, Gin?" he asked suspiciously. "Didn't you just say that so you were able to ditch Fred and George?"

Ginny sighed and grabbed Harry, who had been trying to hide at the side of the window, by his sleeve and pulled him into view. "This guy here is my friend, Ron," she told her brother.

Harry waved awkwardly at Ginny's mother and her little brother, Ron. "Er . . . hi, how are you doing, Mrs . . .?"

"Weasley," the woman said smiling. "Molly Weasley. And this is my son, Ron. What's your name, dear?"

"I am Harry Potter." The moment those words left his mouth, Harry wished he'd lied to her. More than twenty heads turned to look at him. Mrs. Weasley's eyes got bigger, but at least she didn't gape at him like he was some kind of exotic animal in the Zoo. The other people on the platform did gape, though. The train slowly started to move and Harry quickly ducked away from the shining eyes that stared at him. His face was bright red as he sat down and the train started gathering more speed. He began stroking the feathers of Hedwig, who had hopped on his knee as soon as he'd sat down and tried to block out the excited murmur of voices from the people on the platform and the students hanging out of the window in the compartment next to them. He didn't even hear Ginny as she said goodbye to her mother and her brother for the last time.

The compartment shuddered and the landscape flashed past the window as the train went on through England. An awkward silence hung between Harry and Ginny, but after a few minutes Ginny couldn't keep quiet anymore. "You really are Harry Potter, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes. And you're really Ginny Weasley?" Harry asked.

Ginny grinned at him, the awkwardness of the situation forgotten. "I guess I am."

"So, you've got three brothers, huh. Quite a struggle being the only girl or not?"

"Six brothers," she corrected him. "The twins are in their third year, and Percy in his fifth. My two eldest brothers have already left Hogwarts. Charlie works with dragons in Romania, which is pretty cool. And Bill works as a curse-breaker in Gringotts. My little brother Ron will be going to school next year. He really hates being the youngest one out of seven," Ginny said smugly.

Dragons? Curse-breakers? There was some really heavy stuff going on in the magical world. Harry wondered what kind of mythical creatures existed in this world. If dragons were alive, there should be a lot of other creatures as well. "Whoa, that's a big family," Harry said. "I'm envious of you. I only live with my cousin, but he doesn't really like me that much . . . What's it like, living with magic and all?"

"Your Aunt and Uncle are Muggles?" Ginny guessed.

Harry nodded at her. "Yeah, apart from what Hagrid has showed me, I've never seen any magic before. But I'm not so sure I want to anymore if it involves things like Dragons," Harry added jokingly.

"Looks like I have to teach the poor bloke some stuff, but I won't do it for free you know," Ginny said, picking at her nails with a bored expression on her face.

Harry eyed her suspiciously. "What do you want in return?"

"Some sweets would do just fine. There's this lady with a trolley who sells some. You probably won't recognize the stuff she sells, but just choose something nice."

Harry walked towards the door of their compartment and bowed dramatically. "Your wish is my command, fair lady," he said theatrically.

"Good boy," Ginny replied as she tried to stifle her laughter.

When Harry left her alone, she walked over to the white owl. "Hey there, girl. Aren't you a pretty one?" Ginny whispered, stroking the white feathers with her left hand. "Too bad you aren't as smart as you look though. If I were you I would've picked a better owner. Not some famous bloke who knows next to nothing about magic."

Hedwig bit Ginny in her finger and hopped away as she fluttered irritable with her wings. "Damnit!" Ginny cursed loudly, clutching her bleeding finger. "Stupid bird. Go protect that useless owner of yours!"

"Do you always talk to birds? or is that normal with wizards and witches?" Harry asked as he re-entered the compartment and dropped a bunch of different sweets on the bench behind Ginny.

"Very funny, Potter," Ginny said trying, and failing miserably, to sound annoyed. "You may be famous and all, but that won't stop me from hexing you."

"Who is going to hex who?" a bored, drawling voice said behind them.

Harry and Ginny both turned to see who had walked into their compartment. Harry's eyes widened with surprise when he recognized him. "You're that stuck-up blonde dude I met in Diagon Alley!" he said.

"Malfoy," Ginny hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, well, well," Malfoy said, ignoring Ginny's comment. "If it isn't the famous Harry Potter everyone's been talking about. And together with a Weasel no less." He gestured to his side, where two of his friends were standing, although they looked more like bodyguards. "I am Draco Malfoy and these two here are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle."

Harry and Ginny remained silent and waited for Draco to continue.

After a long pause he finally did. "You will soon come to notice that some wizarding families are better than others. I can help you make the right choices." Draco held out his hand to Harry and waited.

"I can make that choice for myself, Malfoy. Why would you want to become friends with me anyway? You barely even know me. What do you like about me so much that you want to become friends with me?" Harry asked. "Apart from my scar that is." When Draco didn't say anything Harry started talking again. "You see, I would like to become friends with you as well, but only if you like me better than Ginny does. We all want friends that like us, don't we, Draco? I'll make this easy for you; I'll let Ginny tell me what it is she likes about me and if that doesn't satisfy me, or if you name something better I will reconsider your offer."

Ginny glanced at Harry and smirked at him. He asked for it. "You want to know what I like about you so much?"

Harry simply nodded.

"All right," Ginny said. "What I like about you is that you're weak as hell and you buy me candy if I ask you to. And what's even better is the fact that you hide behind your bird if you want to hurt someone. Really heroic. It makes the name Potter shine even more than before. Your heavily muscled body makes up for it all, though. So you don't have to worry I'll leave your side."

"Oh my gosh, Ginny. Stop it already, you're making me blush. I knew you were fond of me, but this? I would never have dreamed I was worthy of such praise!" Harry said in a mocking voice.

Draco's cheeks flushed with rage.

"Look!" Harry said, pointing at the blonde boy. "Even Draco is moved by your words."

"You're making a big mistake today, Potter," Draco sneered. He opened his mouth to talk again, but Ginny quickly crammed a pumpkin pie in it.

"Stuff it, Malfoy. We don't want you here. Go away."

Malfoy spit it out and reached for his wand. But before he could reach it, Hedwig flew towards him and hooted angrily as she scratched Malfoy's arm. Draco quickly stumbled out of the compartment and ran away. Crabbe and Goyle followed when Hedwig shot them an angry glance.

Harry slid the door closed and he began laughing. Ginny quickly joined in. "That was brilliant, Ginny!" he said, clutching his stomach. If I knew you wanted some candy for this I would've bought some more."

Ginny threw herself on the bench and giggled with fits of laughter. "Did you see his face! He looked as if he'd peed in his pants."

Hedwig hooted indignantly as Ginny straightened herself and sat up on the bench. "You were amazing, too, Hedwig. You really are a cool bird if you don't bite my fingers off." Ginny sucked on her finger which still hadn't stopped bleeding and began petting Hedwig again. The bird allowed it hesitantly.

The rest of the journey wasn't very eventful. Ginny mostly talked as she answered all his questions about magic. Harry enjoyed listening to her. She told him about her life in a big magical family, how they used magic in their house. They did almost everything with it. Ginny's mother used it for cleaning, cooking, gardening and all sorts of other household chores. Harry wished he could've used magic when he had to pull weeds out of the garden.

These useful spells weren't everything there was to magic, though. There were also a lot of creatures that came with it. Apart from huge, mythical Dragons there were also creatures like Garden Gnomes, Pixies and they even had a Ghoul in the attic. There were even things like House-elves, who worked for big, rich families. Ginny said that they didn't have one, but if you were lucky you could spot a few of them in Hogwarts. Her twin brothers had told her that there were hundreds of them in the kitchen.

Harry wondered if he would ever be able to see one. He wanted to see as much magic as possible. He thought it was a wondrous thing and began to fantasize about how it must have been for his parents. How would his life have become if they hadn't been killed by Voldemort? Harry was sure it would have been a much better life, but it was just one of those things that wasn't meant to be.

"Do you know in which House you're going to be?" Harry asked as he remembered the talk about the four Houses of Hogwarts he'd had with Hagrid a few days ago.

"Probably Gryffindor," Ginny said. "My entire family went to Gryffindor, so I think it's pretty inevitable for me."

Harry smiled. "I hope I'll get in there as well. Then I'd at least know someone in my class."

"I'm sure you'll get in there as well. Everyone who is able to hack off a Slytherin like Malfoy in less than five seconds is bound to go to Gryffindor."

Harry laughed and unwrapped a Chocolate Frog with a dreamy expression on his face. That expression soon turned to shock, though, when his frog began to move and jumped on his head. It nearly gave him a heart attack, but Ginny simply laughed at him. Apparently it was quite normal for food to just walk away when it didn't want to be eaten. This was going to take some getting used to.

Ginny gave him a small box named: Berty Bott's Every-Flavour Beans. "Here, this won't walk away, Harry. They're very nice."

Harry thanked her and grabbed a handful of the little beans and popped them in his mouth. He instantly spat them back out. Was that stuff edible? It was disgusting! The beans had a lot of different flavours, but none of them tasted like candy at all. Harry scowled at Ginny and used all his willpower to keep his upset stomach under control.

"You're not supposed to eat so many at once!" she said giggling. "That's deadly, you know. The bravest people eat only two or three at once."

"And you didn't feel the need to tell me that?"

She smiled widely. "No, not really."

"Is there more dangerous candy I should know about, or is it limited by running frogs and killer-beans?"

"I think this was it. At least from the candy you bought for us. Although Pumpkin pies can be dangerous as well if someone crams them in your mouth. You should ask Malfoy if you don't believe me."

"No, I believe you."

A loud voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in fifteen minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to school separately."

Ginny immediately kicked Harry out of the compartment so she could change into her black robes and when she was done she went outside so Harry could put on his robes.

The train slowed down and finally stopped. Together they walked outside, where a big man greeted them. "All right there, Harry?" Hagrid said with his booming voice.

Harry waved at him. "That's Hagrid, the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts," he told Ginny, glad that he knew something she didn't. "He told me I was a wizard and gave my cousin a pig-tail, but keep quiet about that; I'm not supposed to say anything about that incident."

Even though she didn't know him, Ginny waved at Hagrid as well. "I like him already," she said grinning. "You must have a really nice cousin."

"Yeah, he's the best."

They followed Hagrid together with all the other first-year students and walked to the big lake in front of them, where a bunch of tiny boats floated, waiting for them.

Harry looked around and saw that most of the other students were just as nervous as him. If not more so. They got into a boat, and when everyone was seated the boats suddenly started moving together. Harry couldn't hear an engine and the water was still, so he figured they moved with the help of magic. Everyone was silent as they glided through the dark water, but when Hogwarts came into view they all started to talk excitedly.

Gaping, harry turned to Ginny. "That's not a school, it's a castle!" he said awed. And not just any castle. It was huge. Harry didn't think he had ever seen a building like this. It looked like a castle straight out of a fairytale, perched on top of a big hill, its windows sparkling in the dark night with a lot of turrets and towers.

"Looks cool, eh?"

"You could say that."

By the time they reached the big oak front doors, Harry's stomach was rumbling and Ginny looked like she could use a big meal as well. The big doors swung open and Harry stepped inside the enormous Entrance Hall. The ceiling was so high that it was very hard to make out. The walls were lined with flaming torches and at the end of the hall stood a big marble staircase.

"Why would a castle need such a big Entrance Hall?" Harry wondered aloud. "Are they going to invite a tribe of Giants or something?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," Ginny said casually.

"Great," Harry muttered. "Just great."

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After Hagrid had left the Entrance Hall, a stern-looking woman appeared in front of the gathered first-years. Her appearance alone had been enough to silence the large group of newly arrived students.

She was a tall, black-haired witch wearing emerald-green robes. She had a very stern facial expression and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone that he wanted to cross.

Glancing down at Ginny, he noticed that she seemed to share his sentiments as she kept her mouth shut tight, afraid she might make a sound that would offend the woman. She'd probably heard a few things about her from her brothers.

They followed Professor McGonnagal across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right – the rest of the school must already be here – but Professor McGonagall showed the first-years into a small empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing closer together than they would usually have done.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes scanned the young crowd in front of her one more time, her eyes lingering on Harry for just a second longer than on the others. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair, but it didn't have a visible effect.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," Professor McGonagall said. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Harry and the other first-years let out a sigh of relief. It didn't take long for the quiet murmurs of excited students to turn to hushed conversations, after which the volume only continued to rise due to the growing excitement of finally having arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Ginny," Harry started. "Do you know what this Sorting Ceremony is all about? I've overheard several students talking about it, but all of them are saying something different."

Harry could see a smile of what appeared to be satisfaction spread across the redheaded teen's face. He was sure Ginny loved the fact that she knew much more about the Wizard World then Harry, their supposed saviour, did.

"Well, according to Fred and George," she started, "you have to wrestle with a full grown Troll with your bare hands, no wand allowed."

Harry had to stop himself from shouting out. Wrestle a full grown Troll? He hadn't even known of the existence of Trolls before just now. If they were anything like the Trolls that were depicted on Muggle Television however, Harry was sure he wouldn't like them.

"But if you ask me, I think it's all rubbish," Ginny stated flatly, surprising Harry. Here he had been about to start to think up a plan on how to battle a fully grown Troll with what little he knew about them.

"Rubbish? What makes you think that?" Harry asked, perplexed. After all, the stern Professor McGonagal had clearly stated that the Sorting Ceremony would commence shortly.

"Honestly, the way everything seems to be blown way out of proportion almost makes it seem as if first-years aren't meant to know what the real Ceremony actually entails. It could very well be some stupid custom in which parents simply won't tell their kids about it but choose to let them find out for themselves."

Harry's brows furrowed. He supposed that that could be possible. After all, he had heard dozens of different supposed tests that they were to pass, but none of the students had been able to provide any concrete evidence that would lead them to the true test.

"There probably isn't even any test to begin with," Ginny continued. "I think it's just a Ceremony, a formality or something like that where people get sorted into one out of the four Houses and that's the end of that."

Harry was unable to reply as at that moment the door that led back to the Entrance Hall opened up, revealing the tall figure of Professor McGonagall.

"Now, form a line, the Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

Feeling oddly relieved after Ginny's words about the Sorting Ceremony, he quickly moved to stand behind her. They walked out of the chamber, back across the Entrance Hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall where they were greeted by a strange sight.

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History,_" he heard a bushy-haired girl, sitting close to him, whisper at the boy next to her.

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a ragged old hat. He was sure his Aunt would not have kept it in the house.

Whatever the hat was for, Harry was sure it had something to do with the house in which they were going to be sorted.

The entire group of first-years were staring at the hat in silent apprehension, he did too. For a while the silence remained. Until the hat twitched, a rip appeared near the brim and opened like a mouth – and the hat began to sing:

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your blowers black, _

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat Can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor, _

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The entire Great Hall burst into loud applause as the Hat finished it's song. In front of him, Ginny turned around and winked at him, causing him to grin in return. She had been right after all, no dangerous tasks or tests were involved. He promised himself to listen to her more often.

"Told you it was nothing special," Ginny said, grinning.

"Yeah, for once I'm glad you were right," Harry replied. "I really wasn't looking forward to having to protect you from a Troll thrice my size."

Ginny's brown eyes sparkled with amusement as she opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it again when she looked at Professor McGonagal, holding a long roll of parchment. You'd be pretty mad to interrupt her when she wanted to continue the Sorting Ceremony.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat shouted after a moment's pause.

The hat had spoken of certain characteristics that attributed to which House you might end up joining. Harry was uncertain which of the characteristics that the hat had mentioned were represented most in his own personality. He liked to think it was Gryffindor, but he wasn't sure.

Ginny had told him that her entire family was in Gryffindor and that, almost certainly, she would end up in there as well. Harry had to admit to himself, after having just made his first ever friend, that he didn't want to lose right away. If he got sorted somewhere else he would try to change houses, not like that would have much effect, but at least he would have tried.

Several more students had been sorted into their respective houses by now. The last being the bushy-haired witch, he had overheard talking about the ceiling in the Great Hall. Hermione Granger, he now knew her name was, had been sorted into Gryffindor.

"Harry," he heard a familiar voice call out to him. Raising his head he looked at the face of the all too familiar redhead.

"Ginny," he replied with a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Do me a favour, will you?" she asked him, grinning.

His brow furrowed in curiosity at her question as he motioned for her to continue.

"Make sure you get sorted in Gryffindor," Ginny said with a devious smirk. "I'm not about to let you get rid of me that easily!"

Before he got a chance to reply with anything other than a smirk, his name was called.

"Potter, Harry!"

As if on cue, the entire Great Hall became eerily silent. The only thing that could be heard was the quiet whispers from some of the House tables.

"_The _Harry Potter?"

"Harry Potter? The one who defeated You-Know-Who-Harry-Potter?"

"Harry Potter? Is he coming to Hogwarts this year?!"

Ignoring the quiet whispers, Harry nodded his head at Ginny before he moved out of line to make his way towards the stool on which the hat was placed.

Putting the hat on top of his head he sat down, silently awaiting the Hat's judgement. He quietly hoped that he would be placed into Gryffindor.

"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. Oh, there's plenty of talent yes – and an incredible thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"

'_Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor.'_

"Gryffindor, eh?" the voice continued. "There's no doubt that you'd do well in Gryffindor, but you'd do well in other houses, too. Slytherin for instance. Slytherin could help you realise your potential faster than Gryffindor."

'_Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor.'_

"I see, so you wish to be placed in the same House as your friend? The young Weasley girl is it? Very interesting," the voice said. "Yes, perhaps you are right. Just like one before you, you are destined to do great things. Terrible perhaps, but great nonetheless."

'_Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor.'_

"Gryffindor!"

It took a while for Harry to realise that the entire Gryffindor table had erupted in loud applause and excited whispers. He had almost failed to hear the hat shout out Gryffindor, so emerged had he been in his thinking, hoping it would somehow help to place him in Gryffindor.

As he stood up from the stool to make his way to the Gryffindor table, he made brief eye contact with Ginny, flashing a huge grin at the girl before he sat down at the end of the table, still deep in thought. Clearly remembering now, the last words the hat had spoken to him.

'_Just like one before you, you are destined to do great things. Terrible perhaps, but great nonetheless.'_

Now was not the time to be lost in thought, though. Looking back into the direction of the staff table, he saw that Ginny had just put the sorting hat on top of her head. The edge of the hat dropping well over her eyes, which was pretty comical.

Most students, Harry had noticed, didn't take longer than a second or two to be sorted. He wasn't sure how long he'd sat on the sorting stool. But what he did know was that Ginny had sat there for at least twenty seconds before the hat shouted out the house in which she was to be placed.

"Gryffindor!"

A big grin formed on her face as she pulled off the sorting hat, and all but threw it back on the stool, much to the Sorting Hat's disdain. As she made eye contact with Harry, her happy grin grew even wider. She ran towards the Gryffindor table and threw herself in the seat on Harry's left.

"I told you you weren't going to get rid of me that easily, didn't I?" she said to him, a genuine smile adorning the features of her face.

Harry allowed himself to smile at her in return. He was truly happy that his first and so far only friend was with him in Gryffindor.

Soon after that the last person got sorted in Slytherin, and every single student in the room was seated at their respective house tables.

It was then that the old man who was seated at the middle of the staff table rose to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. Harry could only assume that was Professor Dumbledore, the man Hagrid had spoken so fondly of.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

Before he got a chance to make up his mind however, the plates on the table were instantly filled with all kinds of food. It was almost as if it were…_magic!_ Harry thought, rather pleased with his silent joke.

As he took a look to his left, he saw Ginny had already overcome her shock and was piling food on her plate as if she feared it would be gone if she wasn't quick enough.

Returning his gaze to the food in front of him, Harry took his time to study the selection of different kinds of food that was available.

He silently wondered just how the House-elves were able to make so much food at the same time. He saw roast beef, roast chicken, pork and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, for some strange reason, mint humbugs.

"Hawwy, awn't you gonn eat?"

Turning his head to face his redheaded friend, he immediately erupted into laughter. Ginny Weasley, his tiny little redheaded friend, had her mouth stuffed with roast potatoes to the point that small parts of it were actually falling down on top of her lap.

Her face took on an annoyed expression as she noticed Harry was laughing at her expense. This only further increased his laughter as her facial expression was becoming funnier by the second.

"Shwut up!" Ginny cried in outrage, showering Harry with pieces of roast potato in the process.

Ginny, who only just now realized what she'd done instantly put a hand in front of her mouth and swallowed before looking back at Harry, who was casually pulling pieces of potato out of his hair.

It didn't take more than a second for Ginny to erupt in laughter, but this time at Harry's expense. It didn't take long for Harry to join her, admitting that the entire situation must've looked rather hilarious. All around them people were looking at Harry and Ginny, wondering why someone as famous as Harry Potter was playing with food together with the Weasley girl.

The two of them were broken from their laughter when two tall redheaded boys joined them at their part of the Gryffindor table. They sat down right in front of the two first-years.

"That's what you get for befriending our little Gin-gin, Harrykins." One of the twins spoke up.

"But then again, it's not exactly Harrykins his fault, is it, Fred? Our little Gin-gin does tend to force herself onto someone once she sets her sight on him," the other said.

"I fear you may be right, dear brother of mine. We're sorry Harrykins, but we fear there's no way you're ever going to get rid of her again," the twin who Harry had identified as Fred told him.

"Shut up you two! Before I turn the both of you yellow!" Ginny interrupted the twins.

Harry smiled in amusement as he finally started to fill his plate with some roast beef, sausages and roast potatoes.

"Oh no, dear brother of mine, did our sweet little sister just threaten to turn us yellow?" One of the two asked the other. Harry wasn't sure which one as he hadn't been looking and their voices were a lot alike.

"I'm pretty certain she just did George," Fred continued. "But then again—"

"—with us being the accomplished—"

"—wizards we are."

"She wouldn't stand a chance of course."

"She wouldn't of course."

Harry had to admit it was starting to get a bit tough to follow a simple conversation between the two twins when they started talking with incomplete sentences, but he wouldn't miss Ginny's reaction for a dungeon full of gold and silver.

As expected, the last words the twins spoke seemed to do the trick. Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it at the twins, who fearfully grabbed a hold of one another, begging her not to turn them yellow.

Ginny merely smirked at them.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn my stupid brothers bright and yellow!"

When nothing happened, Ginny turned to look at her wand as if she feared it may already be broken. This thought soon vanished completely however as the twins burst into laughter, grabbing a hold of their stomachs in the process.

"Argh, you two!" Ginny cried furiously, cursing herself for believing it was actually a real spell. The laughter of the two redheads ceased immediately and they stood up from the seats where they'd been sitting up until then.

"It was nice meeting you, Harrykins!" one of the two hastily spoke.

"But I fear it is time—"

"—for us to leave before—"

"—we drive our dear little sister barmy."

"A feat which we surely—"

"—would come to regret."

The last two sentences were almost being shouted out towards Harry as the two had already, quite hastily, made their escape towards the other side of the Gryffindor table.

The rest of the feast continued without any noticeable happenings. Ginny and Harry chatted amiably about various subjects. Such as their lessons that would be starting tomorrow. Ginny, being the brilliant source of information that she was, also told him about some of the things she had heard about the teachers at Hogwarts.

At last, the puddings disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The Hall fell silent.

"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

"First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."

"And finally, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

"And with that said, off to bed you go!" Professor Dumbledore finished.

A loud noise of wood scraping over marble floors resounded throughout the Great Hall as the benches were being pushed backwards and everyone got to their feet.

Another red-haired boy started to announce that the first-years should gather around him. Raising his eyes to meet Ginny's, Harry nodded at her, signifying to her that he was ready to go.

The two of them stood up and began to make their way towards the other first-years who were waiting to be shown the way to their dormitories. Almost everyone looked as if they could use some sleep.

* * *

**A/N**

Bruuz and I wrote the first chapter aaages ago. We're both very busy right know, hence we haven't got the time to write on this, in our opinion, amazing Fanfic. But we're still curious to see what you guys think of the first chapter. It's a shame we didn't upload it sooner.  
Please leave a review with your opinion and if we get a lot of positive response, we might start working on the next chapters sooner than planned. No promises, but we'll do our best!

- Yonda


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